Pake

Two versions of Eulogy

Stu Laanstra 1934 – 2026

Stu Laanstra passed away on April 18, 2026, at the age of 93, a man who knew the Lord and never stopped saying so. Born in Friesland, Holland in 1934, the third of fifteen children, Stu lived a life of hard work, deep laughter, and faith that was not background decoration but the very foundation of everything he did and everything he was.

From his earliest years, Stu prayed. At four and five years old, timid and earnest, he would ask simply: "Lord, protect me." That prayer was answered in ways he never forgot. At eight years old, Stu was diagnosed with tuberculosis and confined to bed for two years. The doctors gave him little hope of reaching adulthood. But at the age of ten, Stu experienced something he would describe for the rest of his long life with complete clarity and conviction — the Lord lifting him, holding him close, shielding him from the light, and speaking directly to him: "Be my boy, my old man. I'll be with you." He was healed. He walked out of that sickbed and never looked back.

That encounter set the course of his life. Stu did not wear his faith lightly or carry it quietly in his pocket. He believed it was essential to, as he put it, "make your life one prayer" — to connect mind and faith so completely that every action, every day, was lived in conscious relationship with God. By every account, he succeeded.

He married Dora in January 1956, describing her as "a gift of God" and thanking the Lord for her every day of their sixty-five years together. In 1959, trusting that God had something waiting for them, he and Dora immigrated to Canada with two young daughters and a third child on the way, settling in Agassiz, British Columbia. He raised his six children in a home where faith was lived, not merely spoken.

Stu served as an elder in his church for many years. On one occasion, called upon with a single day's notice to deliver the Sunday service after his pastor was stranded in a snowstorm, he stayed up through the night preparing — and stood at the pulpit without hesitation. He also traveled with Dora to Jerusalem, a journey he considered among the most profound of his life. Standing at the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized, he felt, he said, exactly what he expected to feel: that he was standing on holy ground.

He is survived by his children Shirley, Ettie, John, Cathy, Wally, and Jim; fifteen grandchildren; twenty-seven great-grandchildren; and a faith that he passed on with the same care and intention he gave to everything else that mattered to him.

Stu Laanstra knew the Lord. He said so often, and meant it every time. In his own words: "It is special to know the Lord — never lonely."

He wasn't.

Stu Laanstra 1934 – 2026

Stu Laanstra, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away on April 18, 2026, at the age of 93. Born in Ureterp, Friesland, Holland in 1934, the third of fifteen children, Stu lived a life defined by hard work, deep faith, generous laughter, and an unshakeable love for his family.

Stu's early years were shaped by the rhythms of farm life and a close-knit community. He left school at fourteen to apprentice at a local bakery, a decision that lit a lifelong passion for baking that he carried into his family home for decades. After serving as a cook in the Dutch Army, he married the love of his life, Dora (Doetje), in January 1956. He would later describe her simply as "a gift of God."

In 1959, Stu and Dora made the courageous decision to immigrate to Canada, arriving in Agassiz, British Columbia with two young daughters and a third child on the way. Agassiz suited Stu perfectly — country life, open land, and honest work. Over the years he milked cows, rode Friesian horses, bred purebred dogs, raised pigeons, and fed more people than he could count. He retired at 61 after sixteen years with the Chilliwack Co-op, though "slowing down" was never really in his nature.

Stu and Dora shared sixty-five years of marriage and built a family of six children, fifteen grandchildren, and twenty-seven great-grandchildren. For their 50th anniversary, he brought all nineteen of them on a cruise — because that was exactly the kind of man he was.

His faith was not a Sunday habit but a daily conversation. At ten years old, bedridden with tuberculosis and not expected to survive, Stu experienced what he described as a direct encounter with the Lord — one that healed him and anchored him for the rest of his long life. He prayed constantly, served as a church elder, and once delivered an entire Sunday service on a night's notice without complaint, only sleeplessness.

Stu was also, it must be said, genuinely funny. He kept a list of riddles. He once convinced fifty people he could read a sealed envelope. He received an unofficial "comedian" passport on a cruise ship. He kicked a soccer ball into his own net and laughed about it for years.

He is survived by his children Shirley, Ettie, John, Cathy, Wally, and Jim; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a legacy of buttermilk, fresh rye bread, and the quiet, steady joy of a life well and fully lived.

A Story of Stu Laanstra

By Bella Langfield

Early Years 

Stu Laanstra was born in Holland in 1934. He is the third oldest of fifteen children. There are seven boys and eight girls. Sadly, one of the baby girls was stillborn. When Stu was a baby, he had difficulty keeping his milk down and was becoming ill. His face was turning blue. Luckily, one of their neighbours, an older woman, suggested they give Stu buttermilk. This was the golden ticket as Stu thrived after receiving buttermilk. Even today, Stu enjoys buttermilk as a side to his meals. Both sets of Stu’s grandparents lived nearby in the Netherlands. When Stu was a kid, he would bike for an hour to get to his grandparents’ house in a nearby town. Stu says an hour bike ride was not long when he was a kid as he had plenty of energy. 

Stu recalls going to primary school during the day and then worked a paper route after school until supper time. Although Stu did not enjoy the writing aspect of school, he did enjoy arithmetic and reading. Stu completed eight years of formal schooling: four years in grade 1 and four years in grade 2. Stu grew up speaking the Frisian language and then once he arrived at school, they wanted him to learn Dutch. The class sizes were approximately 30 to 35 children and 1 teacher. The students remained with the one teacher who taught them a variety of subjects such as History, Nature, and English. Stu enjoyed learning about the nature stories. Although the teachers could discipline the children during this time, Stu says his teacher and the headmaster were both nice. Besides, Stu was a well-behaved student who stayed out of trouble. However, Stu does remember an occasion when he did break the rules. The headmaster lived right next to the school with only a fence dividing the schoolyard and his house. The strawberries growing in the headmaster’s garden caught Stu’s eye, so he proceeded to hop the fence. Unfortunately, Stu was caught and got in trouble with both the headmaster and his father. Stu laughs calling it “double trouble.” Stu cites that the strawberries were delicious though. 

In the schoolyard, the children would often play marbles or ride on their bicycles. Stu was more of an introverted child. He remembers not hanging out with many of the kids. However, he did have one good friend named Geerd de Jong. Stu says they would chase and talk about the girls. They also liked to play horseshoes together. Following these years at school, Stu worked to help support his family. 

He lived on a farm with his family and they ran a small grocery store out of one of the bedrooms in the house. His father, John, oversaw gathering the items for the customer and running them through the till. Stu’s mother, Ettje, ensured the items were stocked with the supplies the customers needed. Stu says the whole family would also help deliver items to the customers. Stu explains that in the Netherlands it was common for a farm and house to all be under one roof. Therefore, the stalls for the animals and the family home would be all one dwelling. Stu was close to his mother growing up. He admits she was a “Mother out of millions.” To celebrate birthdays when Stu was younger, his mother would cook him a fried egg for breakfast. This was a treat as usually the eggs from the farm were sold. His birthday breakfast would also include Zwieback bread. This is a popular bread in the Netherlands. Stu also remembers baking this bread at his job in the bakery. 

At 14 years old, Stu got a job working in a bakery for four years. This job required him to move in with the baker and his wife. Therefore, Stu could only return home to his family on Saturdays. On Saturdays, Stu would deliver his wages for the week to his mother. The money he earned working at the bakery was his contribution to his family. Stu recalls the countless early mornings spent preparing the bread such as pumpernickel and rye and cakes for customers. Oftentimes Stu would deliver the bread to the houses of customers. Stu says he liked that he got to meet lots of people while working at the bakery. Stu’s first encounter with alcohol was on-duty delivering bread. As he knocked on a customer’s door, a newly engaged couple was celebrating their engagement and invited Stu in stating “Baker, come in!” Stu remembers them offering him some alcohol, and so Stu politely accepted. Unfortunately, this was also the time Stu experienced his first hangover. Stu shares that he had a headache for the rest of the day. Stu’s time at the bakery fostered his love for baking. Although Stu did not return to work in a bakery, he continued to bake cakes as presents for his friends and family. [01]

At the age of 21, Stu was required to join the Army for a year and a half. Stu explains how three boys from every family, who were eligible, were required to enroll. The three eldest brothers were selected, Stu being one of them. The other boys in the family were still examined for eligibility, but only as a back-up in case a war occurred. One of Stu’s brothers was in the Airforce while the other also remained on the base. During training, Stu had to go to the desert in the middle of the winter in a tent. Since Stu was considered the breadwinner for the family, the Army paid his family a full-time wage for his services in the Army. Stu was a cook in the Army which aligned with his experience working in the Bakery for four years prior. Stu says the Army was an easy crowd to please as they were happy as long as there was food on the table.

The Journey to Canada 

Stu immigrated to Canada in 1959 at the age of 25 years old. His wife, Dora was 30 years old at the time of their move. At the time, they had two daughters, Shirley aged 2 years old, and Ettie aged 9 months old, along for the journey. Stu chuckled when asked how the children were on this long journey, he says “there were no complaints” referring to their age. Dora was also pregnant with their third child, John. The transportation from the Netherlands to Canada consisted of a ship for nine days and then a train from Halifax. Stu recalls Dora feeling very ‘seasick’ during this trip. Most likely due to the combination of the pregnancy and being at sea. Once they arrived in Halifax in May, they received a free meal. This meal was potatoes with the skins still on them. In Canada, this would not cause anyone to bat an eye, however, this was very different from how they eat potatoes in the Netherlands. Stu says in the Netherlands they would never eat the skins of the potatoes. In fact, potato peels are what they feed the pigs in the Netherlands! Stu admits it was an adjustment, however, he now finds that he too enjoys the skins of potatoes. Stu, Dora, and the two children rode the train overnight through the canyons. Stu recalls seeing the green grass and the dandelions from the train window. 

Since Dora’s parents had immigrated to Chesterville, Ontario five years prior, Stu requested for the train ticket from Halifax to make a stop in Ontario so they could visit. Dora’s parents lived in a big farmhouse in Chesterville. This visit ended up being for six months. After his father-in-law picked them up from the station, they did not want them to leave. Stu agreed that it made sense to stay with them for the 6 months as their furniture was on a second shipment that took six months longer than their tourist ship to arrive in Canada. This time spent with his in-laws allowed for them to learn a bit of English. Stu recalls going to a cattle auction and hearing a cattle auctioneer speak for the first time. This was a new experience for Stu as they do not have cattle auctions like that in the Netherlands. 

Out of Stu’s fourteen siblings, four immigrated while ten remained in the Netherlands. The four that immigrated to Canada all settled down in the Agassiz and Chilliwack area. Also, one of Dora’s sisters and her husband had already moved to Agassiz, British Columbia. The decision to move to Canada and settle down in Agassiz derived from Dora’s sister and brother-in-law telling them they should move out here to work on the farm with them as there is plenty of space. Stu raised his own family here. Stu admits he enjoys living in the country rather than a big city which makes Agassiz the perfect place. [02]

Dora/Doetje 

Stu was married to his wife, Dora, or Doetje in Dutch, for 65 years. Dora was born on May 17th, 1929 and passed away on December 19th, 2019. They spent 69 years together. Before their marriage, Stu and Dora had dated for 5 years. Stu says Dora was a “gift of God.” He explains that they never fought, and he would “thank the Lord every day for his little woman.” In the Netherlands, Stu and Dora were living in the same neighbourhood. Stu already knew Dora’s brother, however, only saw Dora in passing at church or through friends. Stu had met Dora nine months prior through one of Dora’s friends who Stu was dating at the time. Stu says he could never catch Dora at home, so he asked her brother, John, to set up a meeting for the two of them. John was happy to do so and arranged for Stu to be Dora’s date to her cousin’s wedding. Stu remembers this first date being May 1st. Stu was 18 years old at the time and Dora was 23. On this first date, Stu admits both he and Dora knew they wanted to be together. Stu says he and his “little sweetheart” were perfect for each other. Their relationship was “arranged from heaven.” Stu says he learned a lot from her. He expresses that she was a “wise little woman.” 

Stu and Dora were engaged for three years. Stu recalls wanting to get married sooner, however, his family still needed him as he was the breadwinner for them. Stu and Dora were married in 1956 in Holland. It was January when they wed. Stu mentions that during this time it was the beginning of the missiles by the Russians in the Cold War. Stu remembers seeing a steady light in the evening sky and then it went away. The Russians had planned this to test the missiles and then have them drop back into the ocean. Stu and Dora were initially married in the courthouse on Saturday afternoon. However, their wedding was not official until Sunday afternoon when it was blessed in the church. Following the blessing, they celebrated by having a small party with family. Since Stu was the breadwinner for his family, all his wages from the bakery and the Army had gone to support his family. Therefore, once Stu and Dora were married, they both had to start from the ground-up to support themselves, and then eventually six children. 

Family Life 

Stu enjoyed being a father and husband. Stu and Dora created a big family of their own consisting of three daughters and three sons: Shirley, Ettie, John, Cathy, Wally, and Jim. Stu laughed stating he wanted fifteen children of his own, however, Dora did not want that many children. Stu appreciates the liveliness of big families. To Stu, “children are the greatest blessings of the Lord.” He emphasized that he and Dora raised their children together. He enjoyed doing the cooking as he had the skills from his experience working in the bakery and the Army. Stu says he would do lots of the cooking for the family as his wife was busy too with the six children. 

Stu was able to return to the Netherlands often to visit his family out there. After his move to Canada, Stu did not return to visit for 15 years. Stu notes the Netherlands had changed quite a bit in 15 years. The dirt roads had evolved into highways and big buildings were built to accommodate the population. Although the Netherlands is a small country, Stu reveals it has a large population of 17 million people. However, even after being gone for 15 years, a lady who was washing the windows in his neighbourhood recognized his voice and immediately knew it was Stu. Stu remarks that maybe he has a unique accent. Eventually, his children returned to the Netherlands to learn and visit the places where their parents came from. 

The family and Stu celebrate a family day on December 5th where they rent out a room and celebrate together. They eat dinner together and play games. Stu says the older children plan games for the younger children. Stu is eager to be able to return to see his family again after covid-19. [03]

The Lord

Stu grew up in a family that loves the Lord. At the ages of 4 and 5, Stu was rather timid and prayed a lot. He prayed for the Lord’s protection stating: “Lord, protect me.” At the age of 8 years old, Stu was diagnosed with Tuberculosis. Stu recounts the cold and wet weather while delivering the papers in his neighbourhood. Initially, Stu developed pneumonia and then later tuberculosis. Due to his diagnosis, Stu was bed-ridden for two years from the age of 8 until the age of 10. Stu credits the Lord for his healing. The tuberculosis diagnosis presumed Stu would only live until maybe his teenage years. However, Stu recalls a glorious moment at the age of 10 years old when the Lord surrounded him. Stu describes the Lord lifting him into the Sky holding him to his chest and shielding him from the light like a mother would do with her baby. At this moment, the Lord told Stu he was not going to die, the Lord stated: “Be my boy, my old man, I’ll be with you.” The Lord informed Stu that he would not die on this Earth, he would come up with the Saints. Stu continues to live close to the Lord. Following this amazing moment, Stu was healed. Immediately afterward Stu could not go back to life as normal, however, after a few Monday check-ups, the doctor said, “let him play” and Stu was healthy again. 

Stu believes that it is important to “make your life one prayer.” In other words, it is beneficial to connect your mind and faith, so everything you are doing is connected to the Lord. Growing up, Stu recalls that both of his parents were religious and went to church. His parents knew about Jesus Christ; however, Stu states they did not know much about the Holy Spirit. 

On one occasion 40 years ago, the pastor at Stu’s church could not make it to church Sunday morning due to a snowstorm. As a result, on Saturday night, he asked Stu to fill in for him at Sunday Service since Stu was considered an elder at the church. Stu says he did not sleep that night. He had to write his own speech for the service and was also in charge of Lord Chapel. Although this was a big responsibility, Stu has no problem public speaking and says he enjoys talking to others. [04]

Work 

Stu loves animals. His passion for working with animals is present throughout his various jobs. He worked on a dairy farm in Agassiz for six years. Stu believes he was meant to be a farmer. His days would start at 5 a.m. The farm had cows, chickens, sheep, pigs, and horses. Stu admits he loves riding horses and people on the farm would refer to him as the “horseman.” Stu’s favourite horse breed is Friesian horses. Stu notes that Friesian horses are very quick and intelligent horses. These horses are good workers, but also good for riding. Their farmhouse was near the farm, so Stu’s boys were able to help. Stu recounts a funny story about his son John, who at the age of 10 years old, attempted to ride on the bull. Stu laughs and says it is important to “know the beast” referring to the bull. Stu emphasizes that it is essential for the animals to know who is in charge. Stu has seen a lot of changes in farming from when he first started. Initially, Stu had to milk all the cows by hand, but eventually, automatic cow milking was introduced. 

Then, he became a research worker on farms with cows. Stu reveals his extensive knowledge about the cows led him to work in a veterinarian-type position. He worked in this capacity for nine years. He was also a herdsman for a year. Then, in Chilliwack, the neighbouring city to Agassiz, Stu received a job at the Chilliwack Co-op and worked there for 16 years. Stu would prepare the grain and pellets for the cows and chicken. This job persuaded Stu to move to Chilliwack. At this point, his six children had already moved out. Stu worked at the Chilliwack Co-op until his retirement at the age of 61. Stu also had a dog kennel in Chilliwack where he bred 30 pure-bred dogs and sold the puppies. Stu enjoyed having the puppies around. 

Stu is a hard worker and recalls working even on holidays to support his family as he was given the incentive of extra pay for working these days. However, Stu conveys that he was “always enjoying life” no matter where he was. Stu acknowledges that he gets along well with the people in his life. 

Stu’s love for animals was present at a young age. Stu wanted a cat when he was a child. However, his father did not agree to this as feeding 14 children and 2 adults was a big enough responsibility in and of itself. Once Stu was married, he had canaries of his own. Even today, Stu has two canaries to keep him company. One female and one male. Stu also raised pigeons as a hobby in Agassiz. Stu expresses that he would love to still have pigeons, however, it is not feasible where he lives. 

Travel 

Stu and Dora traveled to Jerusalem, Israel, and loved it. Stu and Dora visited Jerusalem for 9 days on a guided bus tour. During their visit, they went to a location that provided counsel for individuals in need. Stu recalls there being plenty of animals around which he enjoyed. Stu describes a very special feeling in Jerusalem as it is God’s country. They visited the Jordan River where the Lord Jesus was baptized. During the time of their visit, people were getting baptized in the Jordan River. This vacation was a very special one due to its connection with the Lord Jesus. Stu says he would love to return to Jerusalem again if he can. 

Stu also has a love for traveling on cruise ships. Stu has traveled on approximately 20 cruises to various places such as Alaska and the Caribbean. He enjoys the dining experience as well as the shows and entertainment provided on the ships. For Stu and Dora’s 50th Anniversary, they brought their six children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren along for a cruise to celebrate. Since Stu and Dora have six children, this amounted to a band of 19 people. Stu says it was a joyous time and everyone loved it. The big group went again on a cruise for a second time for another celebration. Since Stu now has 15 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren, he laughs that the children who were not born yet missed out. [05]

Another trip Stu embarked on was with his wife, one of his daughters, and son-in- law to the Mission-Outreach in Los Angeles, California. This was a big hotel that was run by a Christian organization. They were called “mission-builders.” In this organization, Stu once again used his cooking skills and was the cook for the group. His wife Dora helped through housekeeping at the hotel. 

Hobbies 

Stu did not have time to learn how to play cards growing up as he was busy going to school and working his paper route. Stu was not really into sports that much either. Stu recalls a funny memory of him and Dora going to a celebration for a National Holiday in the Netherlands. Stu says there was a soccer game going on and they were down one man. They asked if Stu could fill in; he agreed. The players kept telling Stu that he had to kick the ball. Unfortunately, Stu kicked the ball into his own net. Throughout Stu’s life, he has continued to use his cooking and baking skills. He says he loved to bake fresh bread such as pumpernickel or rye. He also had many hobbies involving animals such as keeping pigeons. 

Stu also says he was “full of tricks” when he was young. Stu gives one example of his tricks while he was at a large gathering of approximately 50 to 60 people. Stu had discussed the plan with one of his friends beforehand to make sure the trick would go well. Stu had claimed to the crowd that he could read what was inside of a randomly selected envelope without opening it. Of course, the friend was the person randomly selecting the envelope, and Stu had already read the contents inside. This magic trick went off without a hitch and everyone was referring to Stu as “wonder guy.” Stu also remembers receiving a passport on the cruise ship that said “comedian” on it due to his silly antics. Stu says he used to keep a bunch of riddles written down to share. One of the riddles he shared is: 

“What can it be? A farmer sees it every day, a king sees it seldom, and God sees it never?” 

The answer is his equal. Stu explains that a farmer can always see another farmer. There are also other kings out there. However, there will never be an equal to God. 

Technology 

Stu has seen many changes throughout his lifetime. He says that there have been lots of inventions in the last 100 years. When Stu lived in the Netherlands, the only way to call someone by telephone was to walk a few kilometers to the post office and pay to use their telephone. He says only the post office and some other places like doctors and veterinarians’ offices had telephones. Stu did not have his first telephone until he lived in Canada. Even then, Stu explains that each line belonged to three different households. Therefore, a certain number of rings alerted which family the call was for. For example, one ring would be for Stu’s family and two rings would be for another family to answer. Stu mentions that it was possible to still answer the other person’s call and eavesdrop. Today, Stu admits that although he has a laptop, he does not use it. However, when his grandchildren come over to visit, they immediately know how to use it. 

Present Day (2021) 

Stu enjoys watching Jimmy Swaggart on television. This television program is on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week which allows Stu to watch whenever he pleases. In Stu’s room, he has two canaries, a female and a male. Both are white although Stu notes that the female has some tinges of yellow. He says the male canary sings, however male canaries sing less once paired with a female, so the male canary sings less frequently now. As of February 2021, Stu is waiting for eggs. He is expecting five eggs from his canaries soon. When asked where all these canaries are going to go, he says he “has three cages ready.” Stu has 15 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. He believes there will be more on the way. Stu maintains his optimistic attitude as he states, “life is fun.” In addition, Stu’s relationship with the Lord is significant as Stu states it is “special to know the Lord - never lonely.”